Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller didn’t mince words when asked about what this season has looked like for his group. With a depleted roster, a constant wave of hardship contracts, and several core players often sidelined, it’s been one of the WNBA’s most injury-impacted campaigns.
Entering Friday’s rematch against the New York Liberty, the Wings have an 8-22 record, the second-worst winning percentage in the WNBA.
“We got off to a slow start, then a wonderful stretch — and then the injuries hit,” Miller said. “You lose Ty Harris. You lose Maddy [Siegrist]. Long injuries, right? Paige, this time. And we feel like we’ve been playing 75% of our games with 10 or fewer players, and that usually includes a hardship player just to get to 10.”
The Wings have lost nearly 80 player-games to injury in under 30 total games this season, a staggering rate. Despite that, Miller emphasized that their objective hasn’t changed.
“You never like to pivot, but the goal for us is still to win,” he said. “Our team knows what we need to do. We had a goal of making the playoffs, but ultimately, firing so many young players into action going into this unprecedented free agency was important to us.”
That youth movement, while difficult in the short term, has long-term implications for roster flexibility. Miller said Dallas is positioned to have as many as 11 players either under contract or reserved heading into free agency — most on rookie or minimum-scale deals. He mentioned a plan to use
“What’s not being written — and I’m surprised it isn’t — is that having that many young players in 2026 opens up so much cap space,” he explained. “It positions us to be really aggressive with contract offers in this upcoming free agency. With so many lower contracts, we feel like we’re in a great spot to make strong offers.”
Diamond Miller is Just “Scratching the Surface”
One of the most notable additions to Dallas’ young core was former No. 2 overall pick Diamond Miller, acquired from the Minnesota Lynx in a midseason trade. Miller averaged 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as a rookie, but wasn’t a consistent fixture of the rotation the past two seasons on a veteran team contending for a championship.
Miller’s physical profile and two-way potential filled an immediate need for size and length on the wing — areas where the Wings have been undersized and often forced guards into mismatched defensive assignments.
“She’s having a great year shooting the ball — you see the growth in her percentages,” Miller said. “She’s smart, she’s got great size. Tonight was a good example of why that matters. You’re playing teams with great length at the wing, and we’ve been small. We’ve asked Paige to guard some of the bigger wings in the league this year. So Diamond’s size could be really beneficial to us.”
Her first game in a Dallas uniform underscored the abruptness of her transition. After a grueling 48-hour stretch that saw her travel from Seattle to Minneapolis to Dallas and then to New York, she was asked to step onto the court without having a chance to fully learn the system. For any player — especially one adjusting to a new organization midseason — it was a steep ask.
“I just think she’s scratching the surface. She has an opportunity for more minutes here,” he explained. “But it’s going to take a little time. She traveled to Seattle, then to Minneapolis, then Dallas, and now to New York — all in two days. She was asked to play without really knowing the system. That’s hard for anyone, especially getting involved in midseason trades. But she’s a pro. She’s excited about the opportunity, and we’re excited to have her.”
Curt Miller on Injuries: “We’ve Been in Hardship All Year”
Roster shortages have been a theme across the WNBA this season, but Curt Miller believes no team has felt the strain quite like Dallas. Injuries to key contributors, constant short-term signings, and a revolving door of hardship contracts have forced the Wings to operate under severe constraints for most of the year.
“I think there are a lot of smarter people than me who will make those decisions. But it’s definitely a concern,” he said. “What we went through in L.A. was unprecedented, and now it’s followed us to Dallas. We’re approaching 80 player games missed in less than 30 total games played. Do the math — we’ve been in hardship all year.”
The numbers back up his point: Dallas has played with fewer than 10 available players in more than 30% of its games, and the shorthanded lineups have become a fixture rather than an exception.
“We’ve played with less than 10 in over 30% of our games. It’s been constant,” he emphasized. “Whether the CBA includes roster expansion or not, I’ll let others decide. But there’s got to be concern across the league about how early teams hit hardship this year — not just us.”
Arike Ogunbowale’s Influence on the Court and Off
In the middle of a season defined by injuries and roster turnover, Curt Miller made it clear that Arike Ogunbowale remains a central figure in Dallas’ plans. Her importance goes beyond leading the team in scoring — she’s taken on a more active role in building relationships and influencing the team’s direction.
“We’re really excited about Arike,” Miller said. “Since the All-Star break, you see the way she and Paige communicate. You can hear them speaking the same language. That’s been exciting for us.”
Her leadership extends well past game nights. Ogunbowale has become a sounding board for the front office, offering her perspective on potential roster moves and showing a willingness to recruit talent.
“Arike frequently asks about other players around the league,” Miller said. “She’ll pick up the phone and call me — ‘What about so-and-so?’ She’s not afraid to engage. That matters. She’s been through the good times and some building years. She means a lot to this franchise and organization.”
“Tough” Letting Go of DiJonai Carrington
Few moves this season carried as much emotional weight for Curt Miller as trading DiJonai Carrington. The 2021 first-round pick was someone Miller personally selected during his tenure in Connecticut, and her development into one of the league’s toughest two-way guards made her a valued piece on and off the court. However, her tenure in Dallas didn’t work out.
“Tough. I drafted her. And I’ll be the first to say — if you redrafted that class, you could make a strong case for DiJonai to be the No. 1 overall pick. She’s that good,” Miller said.
The decision, however, was rooted in the Wings’ broader strategy heading into what Miller has called an “unprecedented” free agency period and the 2026 expansion draft. The front office had to evaluate not just talent, but the likelihood of retaining certain players long term.
“I wanted it badly for her. But as the GM, looking ahead to this unprecedented free agency, you have to ask — who’s signable, who’s re-signable? Once those conversations start, they accelerate quickly,” Miller explained. “And when we were approached, we looked at the outcome and saw a chance to get young assets. Still, it was hard to lose someone like DiJonai, especially given our relationship. I’m so proud of what she’s done and where we were able to draft her in that class.”
Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings’ Blueprint Ahead
The Wings’ roster heavily relies on young talent, from recent lottery selections to promising trade acquisitions, and Miller sees that as the foundation for Dallas’ next competitive window with Paige Bueckers as the focal point.
He compares the asset-gathering approach to the one Sam Presti of the Oklahoma City Thunder has put into motion, reaping the rewards, leading to winning the 2025 NBA Finals after years of patience. While the desperate midseason need for center depth resulted in sending a 2026 second-round pick to the Seattle Storm in exchange for Li Yueru, Dallas has acquired a 2027 first-round pick from the Las Vegas Aces in a deal for NaLyssa Smith, along with the 2027 second-round pick from Minnesota for Carrington.
“She’s an elite athlete with great length and confidence. A multiple-level scorer. Now, she’ll get more opportunity in this group of young scorers,” Miller said. “It almost feels like we’re playing an All-Star game from the 2023 draft class — we’ve got five players from that class on this team. A lot of players with a lot of runway ahead of them. We’re taking a little bit of the OKC model — building with youth and picks.”
Alongside Bueckers, the Wings have assembled a core of players in their early-to-mid 20s — several acquired through recent drafts and trades. Miller pointed to that age profile, paired with cap flexibility, as a strategic advantage. He pointed to the Indiana Fever’s use of consecutive No. 1 picks with Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark as an example of patient rebuilding paying off, along with how the Aces started with Kelsey Plum before adding A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray.
“Look at what Indiana did with back-to-back high draft picks. Vegas built with Plum, then A’ja, then Jackie — then supplemented that core with Chelsea. That’s one path,” he said. “We want to make a push through the playoffs this year if it’s possible. But we’re also realistic. If the season ended today, we’d have the top odds for the No. 1 pick in the lottery.”
“So there are very positive things moving for this organization, no matter what happens in the short term,” he added.
Curt Miller: “My Job is to Protect the Organization”
For the first time in his WNBA career, Curt Miller is operating solely as a general manager. In Connecticut, he wore both the GM and head coach hats, but in Dallas, he’s focused exclusively on roster construction. That shift, he explained, changes how he approaches every decision — and makes it easier to prioritize the franchise’s long-term health, even when the short-term results can be painful.
“When I had the dual role, I was always fighting myself,” Miller said. “The coach in me wanted to win now. The GM had to keep an eye on the future. Now, as GM only, my job is to protect the organization and look at how we can sustain success and continue building.”
That philosophy has meant difficult conversations with head coach Chris Koclanes as the roster churned through hardship contracts and midseason acquisitions. With injuries gutting the rotation and new faces constantly cycling in, Miller admitted he’s aware of the burden his roster-building decisions — and the injury toll — have placed on his coaching staff.
“I look at Chris [Koclanes] all the time and say, ‘Unfortunately, our injuries and the decisions we made to acquire picks haven’t made this year easy on you.’ There have been people coming in and out of the door on hardship deals, new players arriving all the time,” he explained. “That’s tough for a coach with a young group. I’ve told him I’m sorry for that. It’s the reality of injuries — and also the reality of building toward free agency.”
For Miller, it’s about accepting the current challenges, stockpiling young talent, and positioning Dallas to strike in free agency. The ultimate goal is to win championships with Paige Bueckers.